Furniture drive embodied as a double drive

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a furniture drive ( 2 ) for adjusting parts of a piece of furniture in relation to one another which is configured as a dual drive. Said drive comprises two drive units ( 4, 4′ ), every drive unit ( 4, 4′ ) being provided with a linearly displaceable drive element that is functionally linked with a pivoted lever for pivoting said lever in the mounting position of the furniture drive. Said pivoted lever in turn is functionally linked with a part of the piece of furniture to be adjusted. The drive according to the invention is further characterized in that the linearly displaceable drive element or a support element ( 24 ) linked therewith is provided with a support surface ( 26 ) for supporting the pivoted lever ( 18 ) in a position remote from its pivot axis ( 16 ) in the mounting position of the furniture drive ( 2 ), which surface is inclined with respect to the axis of motion ( 29 ) of the drive element. The inventive furniture drive ( 2 ) is simple in design and therefore inexpensive, it is furthermore advantageous in that it is very compact.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a furniture drive, embodied as a double drive,for moving parts of a piece of furniture relative to one another.

Such furniture drives are known in general and serve, for example, asadjustment drives for the movement or adjustment of parts of a latticestructure relative to one another. EP 0 372 032 B1 discloses a furnituredrive, embodied as a double drive, for the adjustment of parts of apiece of furniture relative to one another, and is provided with twodrive units. Each drive unit of the known furniture drive cooperateswith a pivot lever that in the assembled position of the furniture driveis in functional connection with the part of the piece of furniture thatis to be adjusted. With the known furniture drive, each drive unit has alinearly movable drive element that is in functional connection with thepivot lever for pivoting the latter. In this connection, the pivot leveris embodied as an angle lever upon which the linearly movable driveelement, which is formed by a spindle nut that is disposed on anadjusting spindle, exerts a push for pivoting the pivot lever, and isthus in functional connection with the pivot lever.

DE 38 420 78 C2 discloses a furniture drive, embodied as a double drive,for the adjustment of parts of a piece of furniture relative to oneanother and is provided with two drive units, each drive unit beingprovided with a linearly movable drive element in the form of a spindlenut that is held on an adjusting spindle in such a way as to beprotected against torsion and to be moved in an axial direction, andwhich is provided with a pivot lever for pivoting a part of a piece offurniture that the pivot lever is in functional connection with in theassembled position. For the cooperation with the pivot lever, each driveunit of the double drive of the known document is provided with aright-angled abutment member, the one holding leg of which that extendsparallel to the linear movement axis of the spindle nut is connectedwith the spindle nut, and the other leg of which is perpendicular to themovement axis of the spindle nut and lightly acts upon that end of thepivot lever that is remote from the pivot axis.

DE 296 07 493 U1 discloses a furniture drive where formed on a spindlenut are two essentially horizontal abutment surfaces that are offsetrelative to one another in the direction of the movement axis, and thatfor the adjustment of a part of a piece of furniture, cooperate with alink lever that is provided with two lever arms that are angularlyoffset from one another.

The object of the invention is to provide a furniture drive, embodied asa double drive, that is simple in construction and hence economical tomanufacture, and is also compact.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The basic concept of the inventive teaching is to provide on thelinearly movable drive element, or an abutment member connectedtherewith, an abutment surface on which the pivot lever runs during therelative movement between the linearly movable drive element and thepivot lever, whereby the pivot lever cooperates with the abutmentsurface essentially in the manner of a cam drive, and is therebypivoted.

In this way there results a straightforward and hence economicalconstruction of the furniture drive with relatively few components.

A particular advantage of the inventive furniture drive is thatespecially when exploiting the operating principle of an inclined plane,the pivot lever can be shorter than is the case with the known furnituredrive. In this way, the inventive furniture drive can have a relativelylow overall height. This has the significant advantage that whencombining, for example, a lattice structure with an inventive furnituredrive, the thus-formed unit has an overall height that is not, or isonly slightly, greater than the overall height of the lattice structureitself.

A further advantage of the inventive furniture drive is that it has asturdy construction and is suitable for the application of great forces.

The inventive furniture drive is embodied as a dual or double drive.While basically maintaining the basic principle of operation, it is,however, also possible to embody the furniture drive as a single drive.

The component on which the abutment surface is embodied can have anydesired shape. A further development provides that this component isessentially wedge-shaped or ramp-shaped. This embodiment is particularlystraightforward and hence economical to manufacture, whereby the wedgeor ramp shape forms the abutment surface that is inclined relative tothe movement axis of the linearly movable drive element.

Another further development provides that the abutment surface is anessentially planar surface. However, while basically maintaining thebasic principle of operation of an inclined plane, the abutment surfacecan also have a curved cross-section, as provided in another embodiment.By an appropriate selection of the cross section of the abutment surfaceone can select over a wide range about what pivot angle the pivot leveris pivoted if the linearly movable drive element is moved a certainstretch along its movement axis relative to the pivot lever.

In the embodiment having the essentially planar abutment surface, it isadvantageous that the abutment surface form with the linear movementaxis of the drive element an acute angle, especially an angle that isless than about 45°, whereas with the embodiment where the abutmentsurface has a curved cross section it is advantageous that an imaginaryconnecting line between the end points of the curved cross section formwith the linear movement axis of the drive element an acute angle,especially an angle that is less than 45°. In this way, during theentire adjustment movement a particularly favorable articulation angleof the pivot lever results.

In the embodiment having the abutment surface with a curved crosssection, the abutment surface can be convex or concave relative to thepivot lever, as provided in other embodiments.

The pivot lever can have any desired suitable shape, in particular beingembodied as a single-arm lever that in the assembled position restsagainst the abutment surface with that end thereof that is remote fromthe pivot axis, i.e. eccentrically relative to the pivot axis. In thisconnection the pivot lever is generally not part of the inventivefurniture drive, but rather is part of an adjustment fitting that ismounted on a lattice structure or the like. However, in principle thepivot lever can also be part of the inventive furniture drive. For themounting of the furniture drive, it is then necessary to additionallyproduce, for example, a fixed connection between the pivot lever and thepivot shaft of the adjustment fitting. A further development providesthat in the assembled position of the furniture drive the pivot leverrests against the abutment surface via a rotatably mounted roller. Inthis way, during the adjustment movement the friction between the pivotlever and the abutment surface is considerably reduced, thereby avoidingpower loss due to friction. Furthermore, wearing-away of the abutmentsurface is considerably reduced.

The abutment surface can be formed directly on the linearly movabledrive element or on an abutment member that is connected with the driveelement in a suitable fashion. In this connection, the component onwhich the abutment surface is formed can be made of any desired suitablematerial. However, this component is expediently made of polymericmaterial. This embodiment is particularly straightforward and economicalto produce.

Another advantageous further development provides that the component onwhich the abutment surface is formed is supported during the adjustmentmovement on a housing of the furniture drive or on a part connectedtherewith. In this way, the component of the reaction force of the pivotlever that extends perpendicular to the movement axis of the driveelement is introduced into the housing. In this way there is avoided,for example with a spindle drive, that bending moments occur on theadjusting spindle that could lead to damage to the adjusting spindle.

A further development of the aforementioned embodiment provides that theabutment surface have a support portion against which the pivot lever issupported in one end position of the adjustment movement in such a waythat forces introduced from the pivot lever into the component on whichthe abutment surface is formed act essentially entirely perpendicular tothe movement axis of the drive element. In this way, in the end positionof the adjustment movement, there occur practically no forces againstthe components of the furniture drive in the direction of the movementaxis of the drive element and that try to move the component on whichthe abutment surface is formed back against the drive force of thefurniture drive. As a result, in this end position the components of thefurniture drive are nearly entirely relieved of forces that act in thedirection of the movement axis of the drive element. This isparticularly advantageous for the reason that in an end position that,for example, can correspond to a maximum pivot position of a part of alattice structure that is pivoted with the inventive furniture drive, ingeneral the greatest forces act upon the furniture drive and withoutrelieving the components of the furniture drive can lead to damage ofthe furniture drive.

The linearly movable drive element can have any desired suitableconfiguration. One expedient further development provides that thelinearly movable drive element be a spindle nut that is held on arotatably drivable adjusting spindle in a manner protected againsttorsion and movable in an axial direction. Such spindle drives areavailable as simple and economical standard components, and have asturdy construction and are suitable for the application of particularlygreat forces.

In a kinematic reversal of the aforementioned embodiment, the linearlymovable drive element can also be an adjusting spindle that is movablein its axial direction and on which is disposed a stationary rotatablydrivable spindle nut.

Another further development provides that the pivot lever, in theassembled position of the furniture drive, be fixedly connected with arotatably mounted shaft that is in functional connection with a part ofa piece of furniture that is to be moved or adjusted. In thisconnection, the pivot lever is generally not part of the furnituredrive, but rather of an adjustment fitting, for example of a latticestructure. The pivot lever can, however, also be part of the furnituredrive.

Other expedient further developments provide that each drive unit beprovided with an electric motor and/or that the drive units of thedouble drive be accommodated in a common housing.

The pivot lever is expediently a single-arm lever.

A particularly advantageous further development of the inventiveteaching provides that a part of the lever arm that is adjacent to thepivot axis form an angle with a part of the lever arm that is adjacentto the free end of the lever arm in such a way that the pivot lever havean angled-off or bent configuration. With this embodiment, the furnituredrive can have a particularly low overall height. With theaforementioned embodiment, the angle can be an acute angle orapproximately 90°, as provided by expedient further developments.

Another advantageous further development of the inventive teachingprovides that the abutment surface be formed on that side of theabutment member that is remote from the pivot axis. With thisembodiment, the forces that act upon the pivot lever during theadjustment movement try to pull the pivot shaft of the pivot lever intothe housing of the furniture drive, so that an arresting or securingelement, which can, for example, be embodied as a closing element andsecures the pivot shaft against the housing, is to a large extentrelieved of stress. In this way, damage to the securing element isreliably prevented.

In principle, the pivot lever can be subjected to pressure during theadjustment movement. Pursuant to a further development, however, thepivot lever is subjected to traction during the adjustment movement. Inthis way there is effected an introduction of the forces into thehousing of the furniture drive essentially only in that region in whichthe pivot lever is disposed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be subsequently explained in greater detail with theaid of the accompanying drawings in which embodiments of an inventivefurniture drive are illustrated.

Shown are:

FIG. 1 in a very schematic side view, a first exemplary embodiment of aninventive furniture drive, whereby for reasons of illustration a portionof the housing in which the drive units are accommodated is omitted,

FIGS. 2-4 in a very schematic illustration, which is enlarged relativeto FIG. 1, a drive unit of the furniture drive of FIG. 1 in variousadjustment or movement positions,

FIG. 5 in a very schematic side view, an embodiment of a support devicefor a cushion of furniture for sitting and/or resting in the form of alattice structure that is provided with the furniture drive of FIG. 1,in a first adjustment position,

FIG. 6 the support device of FIG. 5 in a second adjustment position, and

FIG. 7 a view from the left in FIG. 2 on the pivot lever and theabutment member, whereby the housing is illustrated sectioned,

FIG. 8 in a schematic perspective illustration, a portion of a secondembodiment of an inventive furniture drive, whereby for reasons ofillustration a portion of the housing is omitted,

FIG. 9 in a smaller scale relative to FIG. 8, the embodiment of FIG. 8in a first adjustment position, and

FIG. 10 in the same illustration as FIG. 9 the embodiment of FIG. 9 in asecond adjustment position.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the figures of the drawings, the same or corresponding components areprovided with the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an inventive furniture drive 2 thatin this embodiment is embodied as a double or dual drive and has twodrive units 4, 4′ that are accommodated in a common housing 6 and areheld thereon by non-illustrated fastening means. In the following, onlythe drive unit 4 will be described in greater detail. The drive unit 4′has a corresponding construction, and its components are provided withreference numerals that correspond to the reference numerals of thecomponents of the drive unit 4.

The drive unit 4 has a linearly movable drive element, which in thisembodiment is formed by an adjusting spindle 10 that is movable back andforth in its axial direction in the direction of the double arrow 8, andwhich in this embodiment is embodied as a threaded spindle. On theadjusting spindle 10 is a stationary spindle nut 12 that is providedwith an internal thread and which is rotatably drivable by means of anelectric motor 14, which is indicated only schematically in the drawing,and a non-illustrated gear mechanism.

In the assembled position of the furniture drive 2, the adjustingspindle 10 is functionally connected with a pivot lever 18, which ispivotably mounted about a pivot axis 16, for the pivoting of the pivotlever. In this embodiment, the pivot lever 18 is not part of thefurniture drive 2, but rather is part of an adjustment fitting of asupport device, not illustrated in FIG. 1, for supporting a cushion offurniture for sitting and/or resting, for example of a lattice structureor grating. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the pivot lever 18 is accommodatedin a recess 20 formed in the housing 6, and is arrested in the recess 20by an arresting or securing element 22 in such a way that a pivoting ofthe pivot lever 18 is possible while at the same time it prevents thepivot lever 18 from coming out of the recess 20.

For the pivoting of the pivot lever 18, the drive unit 4 is providedwith an abutment member 24 that is connected to that end of theadjusting spindle 10 that faces the pivot lever 18, whereby theconnection between the adjusting spindle 10 and the abutment member 24is able to withstand pushing and pulling. Pursuant to the invention,formed on the abutment member 24 is an abutment surface 26 that isinclined relative to the linear movement axis of the adjusting spindle10 and that in this embodiment is essentially planar; during the courseof the adjustment movement, the pivot lever 18 continually rests againstthe abutment surface and cooperates therewith in the manner of a camdrive. To form the inclined abutment surface 26, in this embodiment theupper side of the abutment member 24 that faces the pivot axis 16 isembodied in a ramp-shaped manner as an inclined plane, as can be seenfrom FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the abutment surface 26 is inclined atan acute angle of about 18° relative to the linear movement axis of theadjusting spindle 10. The inclination of the abutment surface 26relative to the movement axis is, however, selectable over a wide rangein conformity with the respective requirements.

The operation of the inventive furniture drive 2 will be explainedsubsequently with the aid of FIGS. 2 to 4.

FIG. 2, in an enlarged illustration, shows the drive unit 4 in a firstend position of the adjustment movement in which the pivot lever 18 doesnot yet rest against the abutment surface 26 of the abutment member 24.This first end position corresponds to a position in which the parts ofa piece of furniture, which parts are movable or adjustable via thefurniture drive 2, have not yet been adjusted or moved relative to oneanother.

For contact against the abutment surface 26, the pivot lever 18, whichin this embodiment is embodied as a single-arm lever, is provided at itsend, in other words eccentrically relative to the pivot axis 16, with arotatably mounted roller 28, which will be described in greater detailsubsequently with the aid of FIG. 7. The linear movement axis of theadjusting spindle 10 is symbolized in FIG. 2 by a dot-dashed line 29.

For pivoting the pivot lever 18, and hence for moving or adjusting apart of a piece of furniture that is in functional connection with thepivot lever 18 and is not illustrated in FIG. 2, the spindle nut 12 isrotatably driven by the electric motor 14 in such a way that theadjusting spindle 10 is moved to the left in FIG. 2 in the direction ofan arrow 30. The control of the electric motor 14, and as well as of anelectric motor 14′ of the drive unit 4′ that is not recognizable in FIG.2, is effected by a control device, which is not illustrated in thedrawing, by means of which the drive units 4, 4′ can be controlled incommon or separately from one another. The supply of power to the driveunits 4, 4′ is effected by a power supply device, which is also notillustrated in the drawing.

As the adjusting spindle 10, with the abutment member 24, moves towardthe left in FIG. 2, the roller 28 of the pivot lever 18 first comes torest against the abutment surface 26 and subsequently runs up upon theabutment surface 26 of the abutment member 24, which abutment surface isembodied as an inclined plane, whereby the pivot lever is pivoted, as isillustrated in FIG. 3. In this connection, the roller 28 of the pivotlever 18 rides or rolls on the abutment surface 26, so that only aslight friction occurs and a wearing of the abutment surface 26 isavoided.

During the pivoting, the pivot lever 18 moves a part of a piece offurniture that is not illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 and with which thepivot lever 18 is in functional connection in a suitable manner.

During the adjustment movement, the abutment member 24 is supported on aguide of the housing 6, which guide is not illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4,so that a component of a reaction force of the pivot lever 18 that actsperpendicular to the movement axis 29 of the adjusting spindle 10 isabsorbed by the housing 6 and is thus not introduced into the adjustingspindle 10.

FIG. 4 represents the other end position of the adjustment movement,which corresponds to the maximum adjustment or movement of the part ofthe non-illustrated piece of furniture that is to be adjusted. In thisend position, the pivot lever 18 is supported on a planar supportportion 32 of the abutment surface 26. The support portion is notinclined, and in the embodiment extends essentially horizontally. It isdisposed in a plane that is essentially parallel to a support plane inwhich the abutment member 24 is supported on the guide means, on thehousing 6, that is not illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4. In this way, thereaction force that in this adjustment position is introduced from thepivot lever 18 into the abutment member 24 essentially has only acomponent that acts perpendicular to the movement axis 29, so that evenwhere the part of the piece of furniture that is not illustrated in FIG.4 is greatly stressed, practically no bending movements are introducedinto the adjusting spindle 10. Thus, practically no forces act upon thecomponents of the furniture drive 2 that try to move the abutment member24 counter to the direction of the arrow 30. The forces introduced viathe pivot lever 18 into the abutment member 24 are rather practicallyentirely introduced thereby into the housing 6.

FIG. 5 illustrates a support device, which is provided with a furnituredrive 2, for the support of a cushion of a piece of furniture forsitting and/or resting, whereby in this embodiment the support device isformed by a lattice structure 34. The lattice structure 34 has a frame35 as well as a plurality of hingedly interconnected support elements.In detail, the lattice structure 34 is provided with a central supportelement 36, with one side of which an upper body support element 38 ishingedly connected and is pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis, withthat side of the upper body support that is remote from the centralsupport element 36 a head support element 40 is hingedly connected andis pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis. A leg or thigh supportelement 42 is hingedly connected with that side of the central supportelement 36 that is remote from the upper body support element 38 and ispivotable about a horizontal pivot axis, and a calf support element 44is hingedly connected with that side of the leg support element that isremote from the central support element 36 and is pivotable about ahorizontal pivot axis.

To adjust or move the leg support element 42 and the calf supportelement 44 relative to the central support element 36, a pivotableadjustment lever 46 is provided that is fixedly connected with a pivotshaft 48 with which also the pivot lever 18 is fixedly connected. Theadjustment lever 46 is thus pivotable together with the pivot lever 18about the pivot axis 16 of the latter.

To move or adjust the upper body support element 38 and the head supportelement 40 relative to the central support element 36, a furtheradjustment lever 50 is provided that is fixedly connected with a furtherpivot shaft 52 with which also the pivot lever 18′ that is associatedwith the drive unit 4′ is connected. The further adjustment lever 50 isthus pivotable together with the pivot lever 18′ about the pivot axis16′ of the latter.

An end 56 of a link lever 58 is hingedly connected with that end 54 ofthe adjustment lever 50 that is remote from the pivot lever 18′, and theother end 60 of the link lever is hingedly connected with the headsupport element 40.

FIG. 5 shows the lattice structure 34 in a position in which the supportelements 36, 38, 40, 42 are not moved relative to one another. To moveor adjust the leg support element 42 and the calf support element 44relative to the central support element 36 the electric motor 14 drivesthe spindle nut 12 in such a way that the adjusting spindle 10, togetherwith the abutment member 24, are moved toward the left in FIG. 5, sothat the pivot lever 18 runs up on the abutment surface 26 and isthereby pivoted about its pivot axis 16. In this connection, theadjustment lever 46 is pivoted in conformity therewith and moves thecalf support element 44 together with the leg support element 42 untilthe end position of the adjustment movement in FIG. 6 is achieved.

In a corresponding manner, for adjusting or moving the upper bodysupport element 38 and the head support element 40 relative to thecentral support element 36, the electric motor 14′ of the drive unit 4′drives the spindle nut 12′ in such a way that the adjusting spindle 10′,together with the abutment member 24′, are moved toward the right inFIG. 5. In so doing, the pivot lever 18′ runs up on the abutment surface26′ of the abutment member 24′ and pivots, so that also the furtheradjustment lever 50 is pivoted and the upper body support element 38 andthe head support element 40 are moved until the end position of theadjustment movement illustrated in FIG. 6 is achieved.

For returning to the adjustment position illustrated in FIG. 5, theelectric motor 14 drives the spindle nut 12 in such a way that theadjusting spindle 10, together with the abutment member 24, are movedtoward the right in FIG. 5. The return of the upper body support element38 and the head support element 40 is effected in a correspondingmanner.

The inventive furniture drive 2 is straightforward and economical inconstruction as well as sturdy. Due to the exploitation of the operatingprinciple of an inclined plane, the pivot levers 18, 18′ can berelatively short, so that a compact construction having a low overallheight results. As can be seen from FIGS. 5 and 6, due to this lowoverall height the inventive furniture drive 2 does not project beyondthe frame 35 of the lattice structure 34.

To mount the furniture drive 2 on the lattice structure 34, the housingis placed from below onto the lattice structure 34, so that the pivotlevers 18, 18′ of the lattice structure engage into the recesses 20, 20′of the housing 6. The securing elements 22, 22′ are subsequentlymounted, thereby preventing the furniture drive 2 from coming off of thelattice structure 34.

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a view from the left in FIG. 2 upon thepivot lever 18 and the abutment member, whereby the housing 6 isillustrated in section. From this figure it can be seen that the pivotlever 18 is provided with two arms 62, 64 that are parallel to oneanother and between which the roller 28 is held in a rotatably mountedmanner. The arms 62, 64 are fixedly connected with the pivot shaft 48.As can be further seen from FIG. 7, the securing element 22 has aplate-shaped configuration. It can also be seen from FIG. 7, that theabutment member 24 is supported on a rail-like guide means 66, 68 in asupport plane that in FIG. 7 is symbolized by a dot-dash line 70. Thesupport portion 32 of the abutment surface 26 is disposed in a planethat is parallel to the support plane 70.

Illustrated in FIG. 8 is a second exemplary embodiment of an inventivefurniture drive 2 that primarily differs from the embodiment of FIG. 1in that the linearly movable drive element of the drive unit 4 is formedby the spindle nut 12, which is disposed on the adjusting spindle 10 soas to be protected against torsion and so as to be movable in the axialdirection of the adjusting spindle. The adjusting spindle 10 isrotatably mounted and is in a rotatably drivable connection with theelectric motor 14 via a gear mechanism 72.

In this embodiment, the spindle nut 10 forms the abutment member onwhich the abutment surface 26 is formed, in which an opening 74 isformed through which the adjusting spindle 10 extends. In contrast tothe embodiment of FIG. 1, where the abutment surface 26 is formed onthat side of the abutment member that faces the pivot axis 16, in theembodiment of FIG. 8 the abutment surface 26 is formed on that side thatis remote from the pivot axis 16, in other words, on the underside ofthe abutment member.

In this embodiment, the pivot lever 18 is also a single-armed lever,whereby a part 76 of the lever arm 78 that is adjacent to the pivot axis16 forms an angle with a part 80 of the lever arm 78 that is adjacent tothe lever arm 78, whereby in this embodiment the angle is approximately90° and is formed such that the lever arm 78 has a bent configuration.

As can be seen from FIG. 8, the pivot lever 18 is provided in additionto the lever arm 78 with a further lever arm 82 that is disposedparallel to the lever arm 78, whereby in the direction of the pivot axis16, the adjusting spindle 10 is accommodated between the lever arms 72,82. In principle, a single lever arm is adequate. However, due to thetwo lever arms 78, 82, which are disposed symmetrically relative to thelongitudinal central plane of the pivot lever 18, there is ensured thatthe forces transferred from the spindle nut 12 to the pivot lever 18 areuniformly introduced into the pivot lever, thereby avoiding stressing ordeformation.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate the drive unit 4 in the end positions of theadjustment movement, whereby it can be seen that in the embodiment ofFIG. 8, during the adjustment movement the pivot lever 18 is subjectedto traction, whereas in the embodiment of FIG. 1 it is subjected topressure. In this way, during the adjustment movement the centralportion of the housing 6, which is not illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 10 andis disposed between the drive units, absorbs no great forces, so thatthis portion of the housing 6 can be used, for example, foraccommodating a control plate or board of the furniture drive.

Due to the configuration of the pivot lever 18 as a bent lever, as wellas the arrangement of the abutment surface 26 on that side of thespindle nut 12 that is remote from the pivot axis 16, the embodiment ofFIG. 8 has a particularly low overall height.

Furthermore, the forces that act upon the pivot lever 18 during theadjustment movement try to pull the pivot shaft of the pivot lever 18into the housing 6. In this way, the security element 22, which can beembodied as a closing element, is to a large extent relieved of stress.Thus, damage to the securing element 22 is reliably prevented.

The specification incorporates by reference the disclosure of Germanpriority document 100 46 752.0 filed Sep. 21, 2000, 201 06 189.9 filedApr. 9, 2001 and PCT/EP01/10815 filed Sep. 19, 2001.

The resent invention is of course in no way restricted to the specificdisclosure of the specification and drawings, but also encompasses anymodifications within the scope of the appended claims.

1. A furniture drive, embodied as a double drive, for moving parts of a piece of furniture relative to one another, comprising: two pivot levers, each of which, in an assembled position of said furniture drive, is in a functional connection with a furniture part that is to be moved; two drive units, each of which is provided with a linearly movable drive element for pivoting said pivot levers; and a respective abutment member connected with each of said linearly movable drive elements, wherein each of said linearly movable drive elements, or said abutment members, are provided with an abutment surface that is inclined relative to a movement axis of said drive element, and wherein each of said abutment surfaces serves for supporting a pivot lever, in an assembled position of said furniture drive, at a location remote from a pivot axis of said pivot lever.
 2. A furniture drive according to claim 1, wherein that component on which said abutment surface is formed is essentially wedge-shaped or ramp-shaped.
 3. A furniture drive according to claim 1, wherein said abutment surface is an essentially planar surface.
 4. A furniture drive according to claim 3, wherein said abutment surface forms an acute angle, especially an angle that is less than about 45°, with said movement axis of said drive element, which movement axis is linear.
 5. A furniture drive according to claim 1, wherein said abutment surface has a curved cross-section.
 6. A furniture drive according to claim 5, wherein an imaginary connecting line between end points of said curved cross-section of said abutment surface forms an acute angle, especially an angle that is less than about 45°, with said movement axis of said drive element, which movement axis is linear.
 7. A furniture drive according to claim 6, wherein said abutment surface has a concave cross-section relative to said pivot lever.
 8. A furniture drive according to claim 5, wherein said abutment surface has a convex cross-section relative to said pivot lever.
 9. A furniture drive according to claim 1, wherein said pivot lever is provided with a rotatably mounted roller and wherein in said assembled position of said furniture drive, said pivot lever rests against said abutment surface via said roller.
 10. A furniture drive according to claim 1, wherein that component on which said abutment surface is formed is made of polymeric material.
 11. A furniture drive according to claim 1, wherein said component on which said abutment surface is formed rests during an adjustment movement against a housing of said furniture drive or against a part connected with said housing.
 12. A furniture drive according to claim 11, wherein said abutment surface has an abutment portion against which, in an end position of an adjustment movement, said pivot lever is supported in such a way that forces introduced from the pivot lever into the component in which the abutment surface is formed act essentially perpendicular to said movement axis of said drive element.
 13. A furniture drive according to claim 1, wherein said linearly movable drive element is a spindle nut that is held on a rotatably drivable adjusting spindle in a manner so as to be protected against torsion and to be movable in an axial direction.
 14. A furniture drive according to claim 1, wherein said linearly movable drive element is an adjusting spindle that is movable in an axial direction thereof, and wherein a stationary, rotatably drivable spindle nut is disposed on said adjustment spindle.
 15. A furniture drive according to claim 1, wherein in said assembled position of said furniture drive, said pivot lever is fixedly connected with a rotatably mounted shaft that is in functional connection with a part of a piece of furniture that is to be adjusted.
 16. A furniture drive according to claim 1, wherein each of said drive units is provided with an electric motor.
 17. A furniture drive according to claim 1, wherein said drive units of said double drive are accommodated in a common housing.
 18. A furniture drive according to claim 1, wherein said pivot lever is a single-arm lever.
 19. A furniture drive according to claim 1, wherein said pivot lever is provided with a lever arm, and wherein a first part of said lever arm that is adjacent to said pivot axis of said pivot lever forms with a second part of said lever arm that is adjacent to a free end of said lever arm an angle in such a way that said pivot lever has an angled-off or bent configuration.
 20. A furniture drive according to claim 19, wherein said angle is an acute angle, or is approximately 90°.
 21. A furniture drive according to claim 1, wherein said abutment surface is formed on that side of said abutment member that is remote from said pivot axis of said pivot lever.
 22. A furniture drive according to claim 1, wherein said pivot lever is subjected to traction during an adjustment movement. 